New Beginnings, At Long Last
by Kuaishu
Summary: After a difficult couple of years Katara finally gets to tell Aang that he's going to be a father. Sweet little Kataang one-shot.


**A/N: After just finishing the next chapter of my Spirit's Fanon Book 6 I found myself in real need of some happy Kataang fluff. Enjoy :)**

It was long past midnight and Katara was getting anxious.

Three weeks prior to today she had stood in the doorway of the little town home that she and her husband lived in, kissing him and asking him, as she always did, to be careful. As the Avatar, her husband was required across the world, and as much as she started to dislike all the time he had to spend away from her she understood that it couldn't always be avoided. On this occasion Aang had been asked to join Firelord Zuko in the Fire Nation to discuss the future of the remaining few Fire Nation colonies that stood in the Earth Kingdom. Ordinarily she would have come along, having grown to quite enjoy the nomadic lifestyle that she and Aang had shared in the four years since they had married, but times were changing and now Katara had found herself in almost as much demand as her husband as a key representative to the Southern Water Tribe, and the most talented healer in the growing city that had slowly started to call home. Republic City was, though he would never say it, Aang's baby. He and Zuko had come up with the idea together, and as soon as they were able to they had started to build their brain child, and it grew fast with every passing month.

On this cold winter night Katara stood in their living room, the window looking out over the docks and, in the distance, the island that was proving to be Aang's favourite project so far. He and the earthbenders had started to build the central temple back as summer was giving way to autumn, and already she could see how striking a resemblance it had to the Southern Air Temple where he had grown up. They had long talked about building somewhere where all the Acolytes could live and study, and more than once the topic of conversation had turned to their future there ...

With a deep breath Katara placed her hand on her stomach, looking out at the dim streetlights beyond. Aang had promised her that he wouldn't be any longer than two weeks, but as it rolled into the third she had started to spend almost every night pacing and watching, waiting for him to come home. She had reason to be worried, of course. There were still people who opposed the Nations coming together in Republic City, and Aang had been targeted directly by assassins in the past. He took it in his stride, laughing it off and continuing as if none of it had ever happened, and spirits knows they years before their engagement he had been through a lot worse. But she still worried for him, worried that one day someone would get a shot in. She shook her head, trying to remove such dark thoughts from her mind, and instead looked down at her tummy.

They had made love before he had left, a ritual that neither of them could cope without. She fondly remembered that night, him kissing her lightly on the forehead before he called for Appa and they had taken off into the inky sky, and though she knew she wouldn't see him for a fortnight she could content herself with the knowledge that they loved each other, perhaps more than any lovers before them could have. A week later her monthly bleed hadn't come, usually like clockwork, and she had stood in the kitchen, eyes widening with realisation. For the first couple of days she put the thoughts aside, not daring to hope, thinking that perhaps this month she was going to be late. The couple had talked about children, and though it was something that they both wanted, they had agreed that so soon after their marriage and the battle they went through wasn't the best idea. But, two years later, as things began to settle and their home in the growing Republic City had been built, they decided to try. It had been a blow to the soul when, after the first year of trying Katara never got pregnant. Aang, in all his consideration had never brought up his disappointment, but she knew he felt it. For her, all she wanted during that year and the year that followed was a baby, her baby, their baby, and though she continued with her work it wore her down and she found herself falling into a state of sadness, long nights spent looking up at the ceiling and wondering why she had been cursed this way. After eighteen months of trying Aang had found her sobbing in the bathroom, curled up in the bathtub, and seeing her that way had broken him. They had talked well into the night, until they both realised that all they could do was keep trying, accepting that whatever happened, happened. Only Zuko and Mai knew of the couples troubles, Katara having broken down once more after a couple drinks at the Palace and the pair revealing to their friends that they had been trying for children for some time. Mai had uncharacteristically picked Katara up, kissing her on the forehead and promising her that all would be ok, that it would happen, that the only reason the spirits were holding back was because, right now, their baby wasn't ready. Katara had sobbed into her shoulder and Aang had sat glassy eyed watching her.

After three days passed and her bleeding didn't come, she realised there was no way she could wait any more. Only once had she missed her period, and had got excited then, bending the water across her tummy only to feel nothing there, and she wasn't quite sure if she could handle that feeling again. But each day dragged by, hoping that Aang would come home early and talk her out of such nonsense, and before long she couldn't take it any longer. She had come home early that day, muttering to Sokka that she wasn't feeling very well and just needed to lie down, and as soon as she had got back had stripped down to her bindings, standing sideways in front of the mirror and looking at herself. She knew it was ludicrous to think that she would show after a little over a week, but she couldn't help it. Her hands shaking she made her way to the bathroom, filling the tub with water and getting into the bath, letting the warm water sooth her nerves. Then, hardly daring the breathe, she bent the water across her tummy, closing her eyes. Then she felt it, that tiny life, so small and so fragile that it yet to have a heart beat, but it was there. She could hardly believe it, laying in the bath for a good hour before she felt steady enough to climb out. She was pregnant.

Her first instinct was to run to Suki. She and Sokka had their second child a year before, and of anyone she knew she was the one who had been through the most during pregnancy. Her first one had left her very ill and had almost killed her, but her second had been a perfect example of how a pregnancy should go. She could help her, talk her through the nerves, and although Katara was a very good healer who had helped many babies into the world now that it was her own she felt very alone and nervous. But then she thought about telling Aang ... about the way his eyes would light up and the smile would spread across his beautiful face when she told him. He had to be the first to know. The first to know that the Avatar was to be a father.

Her patience, however, was wearing dangerously thin. It was three weeks exactly since he had told he'd be back in two, and just over one week since she had found out she was pregnant, and the thought that Aang was out there so unaware that he was going to be a father was insane to her. She stepped away from the window and began to pace again, adjusting the mats on the floor, rearranging the flowers in the kitchen, picking at the fruit in the bowl and realising that she was still too nervous to eat. _Spirits where is that man?_ She thought to herself, over and over. Then, just as she was about to give up and attempt to get even a little bit of sleep she heard the grunt outside, and the sound of six large padded paws touching the ground. Her heart raced and she hurried back down the stairs, towards the door, just as it opened. Aang's bald and bearded head peeked in, no doubt thinking that she had already gone to bed, but her happy cry alerted him and his face lit up with a wide grin.

"Aang!" He had hardly shut the door before she threw her arms around him, burying her face into his cloak, smelling of rain and sweet air and that delightful scent that was just him.

"Hey there," he laughed, hugging her back tight. "Miss me?"

"Miss you? I-" She paused, pulling back before giving him a stern glare. "You said two weeks." Aang looked back at her guiltily.

"I know, Sweetie. But we had to go to to Yu Dao, and then I had to take Zuko back afterwards, poor old Appa isn't as fast as he used to be."

As if in response they heard a low growl outside from him as he wandered past the window to settle down in the stable placed directly onto the side of their home. Aang had insisted on it, so that if Appa needed him all he had to do was press him great big nose at the window. Katara sighed.

"Still ... do you know how crazy I've been going waiting for you?"

"Even more crazy than usual?" He quipped, his eyes flashing as she slapped him playfully on the arm. It was then that he swooped down, grabbing her round the waist and lifting her up as he planted kisses along her neck and jawline.

"Wait wait wait, put me down!" She cried, her first thought for the baby inside her, though the logical side of her knew that Aang picking her up would have no affect on it. Confused and a little hurt Aang put her down, frowning lightly at her.

"What's wrong?"

She took a deep breath, before taking his hand and leading him deeper into their living room, away from the window. Aang began to look concerned, leaning to look into her eyes.

"Sweetie what happened?"

The worry in his voice left her feeling guilty, and she quickly flashed him a soft smile, before taking both his hands.

"There's something I have to tell you," she breathed. Aang still looked confused, squeezing her hands and looking into her eyes. She took another deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment before looking back up at him, her blue eyes sparkling. "I'm pregnant."

Aang blinked at her for a moment, mouth agape, before shaking his head as if he couldn't quite believe his ears. "You're what now?" Her smile broadened as she let go of his hands and reached up to touch his cheeks.

"We're going to have a baby," she said. Then, all at once, all the things she had hoped to see blossomed on Aang's face, his trademark toothy grin stretching from ear to ear, and he grabbed her around the waist once more.

"We're going to have a baby!" He cried, picking her up and spinning her around.

"Aang-"

"Whoops ok, sorry, I'll just put you down," he apologised quickly, before pressing his hands against her cheeks. "We're going to have a baby!"

Katara laughed as he practically skipped around the living room, before running to the front door and pulling it open.

"Appa did you hear that buddy? We're having a baby!" Appa let out a loud roar in response.

Katara giggled, beaming as her eyes began to swim with happy tears. She had expected Aang to be happy, though not quite this ecstatic. He hurried back to her, wrapping his arms around her once more and pressing a kiss against her forehead.

"I can't believe it," he breathed. "We're going to be parents, I'm going to be a father!" Then, so fast it was almost comical, his grin dropped and his eyes widened. "I'm going to be a father ... oh man ..."

"We've been trying for two years," Katara teased. "You've only just realised that?"

"But what if they don't like me?" Aang asked. "What if I'm no good at being a father? What if they get my big ears?" He continued, grabbing them as in demonstrations. Katara giggled, before leaning up on tip toes to press a kiss to the end of his nose.

"They will love you," she said. "How could they not? Meiya is nearly five years old and she still brings all her stuffed toys over to show you. And Koko adores you, Suki was telling me that she runs around the house when Uncle Aangy is coming to visit." Aang's large eyes looked at her, still unconvinced. "And you'll be a great father ... you're the Avatar for crying out loud, looking out for and protecting people is what you do. And as for your ears?" She leaned in again, her eyes hooded. "I love your ears."

Aang gave her a slow smile, before leaning in and pressing his lips against hers. The pair shared a long kiss, before breaking apart with contented sighs.

"We're going to be parents ..." Aang whispered, his eyes shimmering with love as he looked at her. Katara smiled, her heart swelling fit to burst, complete peace filling her soul.

"I know," she whispered in response, resting her head against his chest. "I know."


End file.
